Mary Lou Blish:  

Life Hi! I performed a lot after High School. Always grateful to Mrs. Shuey, Mr. Marini, Mr. Maske, Mr. Buonpane, Mr. and Mrs. Foulkes and Andy Kemetz for the musical education and patience till I finally "got it" . I attended Eastman School of Music 2 yrs. where I sang occassionaly on weekends with Chuck Mangione's band at Al Green's Tavern in Rochester, N.Y. 1963 brought interesting opportunities my way when I won an audition to tour Europe with a Mitch Miller sponsored USO tour as soloist with the Yellow Jackets from U. of Rochester. for three months. A hundred miles per day and singing at the bases all over Germany, and at SHAPE headquarters in Paris, France. After 1963 I decided to go to Kent State University (Actually, I was told I should go to a more " socially oriented" school by the Dean at Eastman) where I was awarded several leads in some of the first productions held at the Wright Curtis Theater. ( That's how OLD I am) Subsequently tried a couple of summers at Kenley Players going from Warren, O. to Columbus to Dayton. Robert Goulet, Carol Lawrence. Eva Gabor etc. would star and we would memorize our parts till they arrived in Warren. It was fun but I realized it was not "real".(See pics in my profile )In 1965 I left Kent State U. with only 3 quarter hours to go for my degree, to marry Monte Hoffman, a cellist in the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra where I met lots of famous musicians and enjoyed performing as a soprano...Expand for more